Spirit and Law

As novelist and playwright, moralist and political theorist, Albert Camus argued the necessity of defending such values as truth, moderation, and justice. When Camus finds within himself “an invincible love; smile; calm; summer; and “something stronger — something better, pushing right back” he is admitting, yet not defining, a spirit from within. That “something stronger — something better” has origin just as Camus himself.

            Camus' quote is said to speak to the indomitable spirit that lives within each person. The term "indomitable" means strong, brave, and impossible to defeat or make frightened. The indomitable human spirit is a powerful force that gives people resilience, determination, and perseverance. It allows people to keep moving forward in the face of adversity and emerge stronger.

            In his last works he sketched the outlines of a liberal humanism, rejecting certain dogmatic aspects of Christianity. However, the general tendency of liberal humanist thought is a movement toward universal and timeless truth. Consider that the Bible, the Word of God, is truth. The messages it contains are coherent and consistent. The Bible presents a coherent theology and worldview and presents this material consistently. Moreover, the Christian worldview is robust, reasonable, and grounded in history. There is more documentation for the books of the Bible than other historically recognized authors and literature. Evidence from excavation sites and artifacts supports the existence of many of the people, events, and places in the Bible. The Gospels were written within the lifetimes of many of the people who witnessed the events recorded in the Bible. Copies of the Bible manuscripts show that the Bible has been accurately transmitted through history

            According to the Bible, the spirit within a person is the life force that God breathed into humans, and it's the deepest part of a person's being: Genesis 2:7: God breathed life into Adam by breathing into his nostrils, using the same word for "breath" that is translated as "spirit" elsewhere. Isaiah 42:5: The life force comes from God. Ecclesiastes 12:7: The life force returns to God when a person dies. Zechariah 12:1: God formed the human spirit within a person. First  Corinthians 3:16: Christians are called God's temple because "God's Spirit dwells in you". Romans 8:9: The Bible sometimes says the "Spirit of Christ" lives inside believers. First Corinthians 6:19: The Bible more often says the "Spirit of God" or just the "Holy Spirit" is in us.

            In the moral arena, natural law is common to all people, not just believers.  The natural law of reason is how we discern “right” from “wrong.” Human reason exists in all people, regardless of culture. The Bible verse that mentions God writing his law on our hearts is Jeremiah 31:33, which says, "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people".  The idea that God's law is written on our hearts also appears in Hebrews 8:10b, which says, "I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people".  Romans 2:15-16 also mentions the idea that God's law is written on our hearts, saying, "They demonstrate that God's law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right". 

            The God who created the entire universe cares about liberation from systems of injustice and oppression. God reveals “himself” in nature so that no one can say, “I have no knowledge of God.” The plants, animals, rocks, and trees are among God’s general revelation. That “inner voice” illumination and realization of spiritual-ness is among God’s special revelation. In the moral arena, natural law is common to all people, not just believers. The natural law of reason is how we discern “right” from “wrong.” Human reason exists in all people, regardless of culture.